Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/64

 Balfour adherence to the Roman catholic faith. His contemporary, Dempster, says he was 'the phœnix of his age; a philosopher profoundly skilled in the Greek and Latin languages; a mathematician worthy of being compared with the ancients; and to those qualifications he joined a wonderful suavity of manner, and the utmost warmth of affection towards his countrymen.' His reputation as a scholar rests mainly on his commentary on Aristotle. The titles of his works are:
 * 1) 'Gelasius, Σύνταγμα τών κατα τήν έν Νικαία δγίαν Σύνοδον πραχθέντων' Paris, 1599, 8vo; Heidelberg, 1604, fol. An edition of the Greek text, accompanied by a Latin translation. Gelasius, with Balfour's translation, has been reprinted in several editions of the Concilia.
 * 2) 'Cleomedis Meteora Graece et Latine. A Roberto Balforeo ex MS. codice Bibliothecæ Illustrissimi Cardinalis Ioyosii multis mendis repurgata, Latine versa, et perpetuo commentario illustrata.' Bordeaux, 1605, 4to. This work was commended by Barthius and other learned men, and even in the present century it was held in such estimation that it was republished by Professor James Bake at Leyden in 1820, 8vo.
 * 3) . 'Prolegomena in libros Topicorum Aristotelis,' 1615, 4to.
 * 4) 'Commentarii in Organum Logicum Aristotelis,' Bordeaux, 1618, 4to.
 * 5) 'Commentarii in lib. Arist. de Philosophia tomus secundus, quo post Organum Logicum, quacumque in libros Ethicorum occurrunt difficilia, dilucide explicantur,' Bordeaux, 1620, 4to.

 BALFOUR, ROBERT (d. 1663), second, military commander, was son of Sir Robert Arnot of Fernie, chamberlain of Fife. He married Margaret, daughter of Michael Balfour of Burleigh and Margaret, daughter of Lundie of Lundie, and his wife succeeded her father (who was created 7 Aug. 1606 Lord Balfour of Burleigh) as Baroness Balfour of Burleigh. Thereupon, by a letter from the king (James I) Arnot became Lord Balfour of Burleigh, the second holder of the title. At the assembly of the Scottish parliament in 1640 (11 June) the 'estates' appointed him their president. He was continued in the office in 1641, and was one of the commissioners for a treaty of peace with England in 1640-1. He was also constituted of the privy council 'ad vitam aut culpam' by the parliament of Scotland 11 Nov. 1641. During the wars of Montrose he was energetic on the side of the government. He assumed military command, but was not successful. Montrose defeated him 12 Sept. 1644 near Aberdeen, and again (with General Baillie) at Kilsyth, 15 Aug. 1645. He was opposed to the celebrated and unfortunate 'engagement' to march into England for the rescue of the king. He had weight enough to dissuade Cromwell then from the invasion of Scotland. In 1649, under the act for putting 'the kingdom in a posture of defence,' he was one of the colonels for Fife. He was further nominated in the same year one of the commissioners of the treasury and exchequer. He died at Burleigh, near Kinross, 10 Aug. 1663. His wife died before him (in 1639). They had one son [see Balfour, John, third Lord Balfour of Burleigh] and four daughters.

 BALFOUR, ROBERT (d. 1757), fifth, Jacobite, when a youth fell in love with a 'pretty face,' far inferior in rank, much to the annoyance of the family. He was sent to travel abroad in the hope that he would forget his attachment. Before he set out he declared to his lady-love that if in his absence she married he should kill her husband. Notwithstanding the threat, she did marry a Henry Stenhouse, schoolmaster at Inverkeithing, acquainting him beforehand of the hazard. On Balfour's return his first inquiry was after the girl. On being informed of her marriage, he proceeded on horseback (with two attendants) directly to the school at Inverkeithing, called Stenhouse out, deliberately shot him (wounding him in the shoulder), and quietly returned to Burleigh. This was on 9 April 1707. The poor schoolmaster lingered twelve days, and then died. Balfour was tried for the murder in the high court of justiciary on 4 Aug. 1709. The defence was ingenious, but inadequate. He was brought in guilty, and sentenced to be beheaded on 6 Jan. 1709-10. But a few days prior to this he escaped from the prison ('Heart of Midlothian') by exchanging clothes with his sister, who resembled him. He skulked for some time in the neighbourhood of Burleigh, and a great ash-tree, hollow in the trunk, was long shown as his place of concealment. On the death of his father, in 1713, the title devolved on him. His next appearance was at the meeting of Jacobites